


Close Your Eyes, and We’re Somewhere Else

by yellow_canary



Series: The Karev family Chronicles [1]
Category: Grey's Anatomy
Genre: Christmas Movies, Cookies and Cocoa, F/M, Fluff, Fluff and Smut, Smut, puppy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-26
Updated: 2020-12-26
Packaged: 2021-03-10 23:01:11
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 13,994
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28324995
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/yellow_canary/pseuds/yellow_canary
Summary: Alex sees how burnt out Jo is becoming because of the pandemic and decides to whisk her away to a cabin in the snowy Cascade mountains for Christmas. There they enjoy the snow and lazy days watching Christmas movies and on Christmas day, they each get each other something very special.
Relationships: Alex Karev/Jo Wilson
Series: The Karev family Chronicles [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2113692
Comments: 12
Kudos: 21





	Close Your Eyes, and We’re Somewhere Else

**Author's Note:**

> Merry Christmas everyone, enjoy!

“If you could book a flight tomorrow for anywhere in the world, where would you go?” Alex asked, looking up at her for the first time since they sat down to eat dinner.

Jo paused as she stirred her noodles. She leaned her head against his shoulder from where she sat sideways in his lap. They were having takeout from the cafeteria in the on-call room. Alex had pulled her into his lap and put a bowl of spaghetti in her hands, but Jo was just happy to be in the same room as him. It was the first time in weeks that she had even had the chance to be with him without a patient in between them. There had been a spike of COVID cases in the past month post thanksgiving and they had been practically living in the hospital. 

“Alaska.”

“What?” 

“Yeah, it's remote, it's isolated, we could get a cabin in the woods with no cell service, no people, no COVID, just you and me getting warm by the fire,” Jo said leaning into to kiss him and trailed her hands down his chest.

Alex hummed into her lips as Jo tugged at the hem of his scrub top. She was desperate to get at the skin underneath, but Alex pulled away leaving Jo to chase after his lips.

“Let's do it.”

“What?”

“Look, I know we can't actually go to Alaska,” Alex said, he had both hands looped around her waist and he moved one down to rub up and down her thigh. “But, we can rent a cabin up in the mountains for the week and drive up there tomorrow.”

“We can't just leave, we have work,” Jo said, throwing up her hands gesturing to the hospital around then. “And how are we going to find a place on such short notice?”

“Avery’s got this place in Leavenworth, maybe he’ll let us borrow it and since you and I both worked on Christmas last year Meredith and Bailey have already agreed to cover your service for the week and peds is not as busy so Hayes can cover it. I'll plan everything all you have to do is say yes. Please, Jo, I can see how burnt out you've been this past year and we barely see each other. I miss you, so please come away with me for Christmas. We’ll spend the week together just you and me.” 

“Okay.” 

As Alex pleaded with her, Jo could see it in his eyes how important this was to him. Alex smiled and Jo realized how much she missed him and let a smile slip across her face. She leaned in and kissed him. He melted into her lips and Jo relished in the time they had together. She missed kissing him for longer than five seconds, she missed feeling his heart quicken under her palms, and she missed him groaning as she touched him. 

Jo pulled back breathless from kissing him. She smirked as she reached down to pull her scrub top over her head and tossed it to the other end of the couch. She had missed the way his eyes raked over her as his breath caught in his throat. She moved to straddle his waist and put her hands on his scrub top, pulling it over his head. 

The second it was off, Alex pulled her in for a kiss and trailed his hands up her back to unhook her bra. He pulled it off and sat back to look at her naked breasts. Jo pushed out her chest for him to see and grinned as she watched Alex pause as he took them in. He was so enchanted by her body. His hands moved around to cup her breasts and he rubbed her nipples with his thumb. 

Jo threw her head back in a moan as Alex continued to play with her breasts. She ran her hands up his chest and curled her fingers into his chest hair giving them a tug as Alex groaned in response. He pinched her nipples as Jo yelped, despite how she liked it, and Alex laughed. He rolled them between his thumb and finger as Jo rolled her hips in his lap. 

She felt his erection grow under her as she moved. She moved her hands down to undo his scrub pants and pull his cock out into her hands. Alex’s cock was just the right size and perfect for filling her up. She wrapped her hands around his length and pumped him a few times. Alex withered in her hands and she could tell that he was a goner for her. After a moment of teasing, he pulled her hands away and flipped them over. 

Jo laughed as she pulled him in for a kiss before he pulled back and tore off her scrub pants and pantie. He stood up, dropping his pants to the floor before kicking them away. Alex paused before he rejoined her on the couch and Jo took in the sight of her husband standing naked before her, without a condom. 

They both agreed that the second they got the vaccine they’d throw everything away and start trying for a baby. They both wanted a child, but not in the middle of a pandemic and after they received the first dose last week they had quickly started trying. The thought of being pregnant both terrified and elated Jo. She was so ready to be a mom, but absolutely terrified that she would mess the kid up. However one look at Alex with Meredith's kids and she knew that they would be good parents.

Jo smiled at the thought of getting pregnant tonight and spread her legs. She propped one leg up on the back of the couch and trailed her hand down her chest to her vagina holding open her labia for him to see. With her other hand, she dipped down to her wet opening and collected some of her fluids before she swirled her fingers around her clit. 

“You drive me crazy, Jo,” Alex said with a shake of his head.

“Good crazy?” Jo asked, raising an eyebrow and thrusting her finger inside of herself.

“Always,” Alex said before he dived down on top of her and kissed his way down her neck and bit her shoulder. 

“Alex!” Jo moaned as he sucked a hickey next to his bite mark.

He pulled her hands away and replaced them with his own, swirling two fingers around her clit in quick and sharp strokes as she arched her back under him. Her hands went back to his dick as she massaged his balls and trailed her fingertips up and down his length, teasing him. 

Their mutual handjob didn't last very long and Alex pulled his hands back putting them both on her thighs as he moved his cock to hover over her. Alex looked up at her again as she lifted her hips up to meet him with a look of desperation on her face. 

Alex smiled as he leaned down to kiss her and thrust inside of her. Jo pulled back and let out a whine as he set a quick and fast pace. He filled her and hit her G-spot as Jo threw her head back and howled. 

As she cried out, she reached out for him and Alex leaned down to bury his head in her neck. Jo wrapped her arms around his back and squeezed his hips with her thighs. Alex was long and thicker than most men, but it was how he used it that really drove her wild. He would move his hips like a dance and would hit just the right spot inside of her. Alex focused on pleasing her whereas other men just used her body to get off and made her do the work to please herself.

It was one of the things that made her fall in love with him and made her lust over him. Alex considered her pleasure just as much as he cared about his own. It also helped that his cock always sent her wild and it's all she could do to remember to breathe as he thrust into her. Just the movement of him going in and out of her and hitting her cervix could make her almost come. She was a goner from the moment he set his pace.

Jo squeezed her vaginal walls around him and Alex faltered in his movements. She squeezed him again and he groaned, starting up the pace again with the roll of his hips that had her digging her fingernails into his back. Alex smiled as his lips pressed against her throat. He pulled back but continued to roll his hips as he reached out with one hand to brush her hair away from her face. She reached out to hold his face and pulled him down to kiss her. 

“I love you,” Alex whispered, before kissing her forehead, her nose, her cheeks, and her chin. 

“I love you more,” Jo said, leaning up to kiss his cheek as well. 

His thrusts became less urgent and more soft and steady as he rocked back and forth, in and out. Jo wrapped her arms around him and hugged him. She buried her nose in his neck, breathing and his sweet scent. Alex reached down with one hand to rub her clit with two fingers. He moved slowly and softly to match his hips and Jo ran her hands up and down his back. 

Jo felt a little bad, letting him do all the work, but she knew Alex didn’t mind. This was how he showed he loved her, by doing all the work and making love to her. Jo wasn't surprised when she felt the coil of her orgasm, curl up inside of her. She squeezed her toes and her hands into fists, as her mind went numb with pleasure.

“Alex,” Jo yelled, as she came under his hands and around his dick.

Jo arched her back and tensed her walls around him as she groaned and moaned. Alex rubbed his fingers around her clit a little harder, drawing it out as she rolled her hips and chased every last second of her orgasm. 

It took her a minute to recover before Jo melted into the couch. She let go of him and Alex pulled back to look at her. Jo smiled up at him for a second, basking in the afterglow. Then her smile turned into a smirk as she bucked her hips again making him groan. Jo knew that he was closed and continued to rock her hips as he started up his thrust again. 

Alex didn't last very long especially as she continued to squeeze him. Soon he was calling out her name before coming inside of her as his thighs shook. Alex leaned forward and collapsed on her chest, letting out a breath. Jo smiled and held him as he pulled out and lay down on top of her. He rested his head on her chest and wrapped his arms around her waist as Jo ran a hand through his hair and kissed the top of his head. 

She missed this too, Alex falling asleep in her arms. These days they only went home to shower and nap and they barely got the chance to do that together. Jo closed her eyes and wrapped her legs around him. If only to keep him there a little bit longer. Alex’s breath came out in hot puffs on her chest and she felt his hands draw circles on her skin.

Then, Jo’s pager went off. 

They both groaned and Alex sat up, but Jo chased him with her arms, holding on to his waist as he reached for her pager. Alex sighed as he read the memo and handed it to her. Jo let out a breath as she read it. Their romantic dinner was over and reality was back, one of her patients was dying. Again. Jo couldn’t remember the last time she went a whole 24 hours without one patient dying since she started on the COVID ward. 

Alex leaned down to brush his fingers over her forehead, smoothing away her worry lines and pressing his lips to hers, if only for a quick pick. “Just three more hours and your shift is over, then you and I are going to go away for the whole week. No phones allowed.”

Jo smiled, she didn't realize how much she needed this getaway until it was right in front of her. Alex got up and handed her, her bra and scrub top before, grabbing a towel so he could clean her up. He gently whipped her down, washing away her fluids, then helped her step into her panties and pants. He pulled them up her legs and tied the drawstrings around her waist.

“Thank you,” Jo said, squeezing his hands as they lingered on her waist, before helping him up and handing him his scrubs. 

“No problem,” Alex said, pulled a scrub shirt over his head before a smile spread across his face. “Three more hours,” 

“Three more hours,” Jo said as she grabbed her mask and a fresh pair of gloves giving him one last smile before she left the room.

* * *

Those three hours dragged by until finally, the clock struck 9 and Alex texted her to meet him in the car. Jo finished up with her patients before going to meet him. She ripped off her paper gown and gloves and ran to the attending’s lounge. She traded out her N95 mask for a cloth mask that matched her scrub cap, washed her hands, and quickly changed, before racing down to the garage where Alex was waiting in the car. As Jo got in the warm car and out of the cold December air, Alex greeted her with the heater on high and her seat warmer on. Jo pulled down her mask before wrapping her arms around his neck and kissing him. 

When Jo pulled back Alex held up a set of keys. “Avery gave us his place for the week since his plans changed and he's having Christmas with Webber and his mom. It's a log cabin just outside of Leavenworth. It’s completely decorated for the holidays, tree and everything. The only rule is that we can’t break anything or have sex in the hot tub.” 

“They have a hot tub,” Jo said, her eyes lighting up in excitement. 

“Yeah,” Alex said, letting out a little laugh at the prospect of a hot tub. It was the highest of luxury for both of them. 

“But no hot tub sex. Ugh killjoy,” Jo said, making a face as Alex chuckled and reached over to put her seatbelt on.

“I figured that we could just go home and crash and then pack and get going early tomorrow morning,” Alex said, as he turned around and backed out of the parking space.

“I can't believe you pull all this together in a few hours?” Jo said, shaking her head as she leaned back and watched the road as he drove home. “You had to have been planning this for a while.”

Alex just shrugged and kept his eyes on the road. Either way, Jo didn't care how long he had been planning this surprise, she was just happy he had done it. 

“Are you ready? It's not too last minute is it?” Alex said as he stopped at a red light and glanced over.

“I can't believe I’m saying this, but I'm so happy to know that I don't have to walk back into the hospital tomorrow. I don’t miss doing medicine because all I'm doing is just fighting this virus. What I miss is that feeling of craving to be in the hospital, even to just observe, and surgery, surgery I miss that a lot.”

Alex nodded and Jo knew that he understood it too. She reached across the console and trailed her fingers down his arm. Alex let go of the steering wheel to hold her hand giving her a reassuring squeeze. 

They didn't talk for the rest of the drive home and Jo almost fell asleep against the window. Alex came around to open her door and helped Jo out of the car, talking her bag. Jo closed her eyes, knowing he would lead her into the loft. Normally she would protest at Alex doing everything for her like he was, but tonight she just leaned into his chest as they walked. 

Jo went straight to bed, stripping off her clothes and diving into the blankets. She rolled around until she was in a cocoon and closed her eyes. She could hear Alex move around the loft and opened one eye to watch him as he got ready for bed. Eventually, Alex sat on the side of the bed and she opened her cocoon to him. Alex slid in beside her and buried his nose in her neck as she put her arm and the blanket around him. It was easy to fall asleep in his arms. Especially with the promise that he'd be there when she woke up. 

* * *

Despite their late night, Jo woke up early. She let the excitement fill her and got dressed and ready for their vacation. She let Alex keep sleeping as she pulled out their suitcases and rummaged around the loft, gathering the things that they would need. Jo had a list. A list of everything that they would need to pack and do before they left. There were a few things that she wrote in the margin so they didn't forget, like her medication and Alex's reading glasses, which he hid from everyone but her.

Jo also went over to the cabinet in the wall by the dining area and pulled out the Christmas storage boxes. They had set up everything for Christmas the day after thanksgiving and Jo has storied Alex’s Christmas presents in empty boxes. She had bought him a few things mostly just things he wanted or that Jo knew that he would like. Including a special gif that would be delivered Christmas day. 

The last gift, she had for him was more personal. It was an engraved wallet sized love note in her handwriting with a picture of them on their wedding day on the back. It was more permanent than the little sticky notes she would put in his lunch or wallet and she knew that he would love it. 

Jo put a strip of duck tape over the box and labeled it as ‘Jo’s extra clothing’, before putting a few extra sweaters and pairs of pants over the presents. She had almost finished packing for both of them and had the car half loaded up when she heard Alex stop snoring and groan as he rolled over. She smiled as she walked over and lean down to lay on the bed next to him. Jo reached over to kiss his forehead, then his lips as he slowly stirred awake. 

“Good morning,” Jo whispered to him as a smile spread across his face.

“Good morning, I see that someone is excited,” Alex said as he opened his eyes and smiled up at her, as if he wasn't equally excited for their trip.

“Duh, now get up. I want to be there before lunch!” Jo said pulling back and stealing his pillow so she could put it in the car. 

There used to be a dinner train that went from Seattle up to Leavenworth that was famous for its winter tours and ran every December. Meredith and Derek had gone one year for Christmas with Zola, but Alex and Jo had always just driven up to the old German town in the mountains. The train shut down in 2019 and the Amtrak that ran up there wasn’t the same. Regardless neither she nor Alex wanted to spend their vacation on a train wearing masks and interacting with the public. Who may or may not also be wearing a mask, but Alex was happy to make the drive. 

With the Christmas music playing in the car and Alex singing along, Jo smiled as she stared out the window. The busy city streets became a country highway lined with pine trees and Jo fell asleep before they got into the mountains. 

She woke up several hours later and could tell she wasn't in the car. Jo was surprised that she didn't wake up when Alex moved her from the car to where she laid on the couch in his lap. She opened her eyes to see him above her, reading a Peds’ medical journal, and looked around to see that they were already in the cabin. Alex had a fire going in the large stone fireplace and red and white decorations adorned the room. There was a large Christmas tree, elegantly decorated in the corner, and lights strung up around beames. The floor to ceiling windows stretched up two stories and looked out over the river. Jo sat up and smiled as she saw that everything outside was covered in snow and ice.

“Hey sleepyhead,” Alex said putting the journal down and wrapped his arms around her, pulling her back against his chest. “Did you have a good nap?”

“Yeah, thanks for letting me sleep,” Jo said taking her eyes off of the winter wonderland outside and leaning in to give him a quick kiss before she pulled back and stared at the snow. 

“No problem, I figured it was the least I could do since you let me sleep in this morning,” Alex said as he pulled her back in for a more heated kiss. Alex lingered on her lips and his hands moved up her back to try and unclip her bra, but Jo pulled back. 

“Let's go play in the snow!” Jo said getting up and dragging Alex with her as she walked over to the window.

Alex chuckled and gladly followed her along, matching her smile with a sparkle in his eyes. “Okay but let's put on something a little warmer than this.”

They quickly grabbed their snow stuff and Jo grabbed the blue scars that Helen had knitted for her and the green one for Alex, tying it securely around his neck. She also pulled the green hat Helen had knitted then last year over his head. Alex gave her one of her favorite lopsided smiles and zipped up her jacket for her, as she had already put on her gloves. Together they walked out into the snow covered forest. The cabin was pretty isolated without any neighbors and they pick a direction and started walking. The snow fell in silence around them as their feet sank into the drifts.

Both Jo and Alex had grown up in places where it snowed regularly. Seattle was lucky to get a few days of snow every other year and they both missed having snow for Christmas. It just felt more like winter and Christmas with snow. Everyone took the time off to play in the snow and remember the happier things in life. Of course at the hospital snow always meant more snow related accidents, but the good that snow brought always outweighed the bad.

They walked for a quarter-mile before they circled back to the cabin. Seeing it from the outside, Jo got a better idea of how huge it was. It was two stories with a sloped roof and a large porch overlooking the river. Although she wasn't surprised, given Avery’s money. Jo could never dream of having a Christmas like this as a kid, and seeing it all before her now made her giddy with happiness. She skipped ahead, letting go of Alex's hand, before dropping to kneel in the snow and forming a small ball.

“You better not be planning to throw that at me,” Alex laughed as he carefully approached her with both hands up in front of him.

“Maybe later,” Jo teased him with a wink before she turned back and started rolling it forward to collect more snow. “Let's make a snowman.”

Alex eagerly joined her and started with a snowball of his own before they met together in a space off of the deck where they could see it from inside. Jo lifted her ball of snow up to place on top and they packed snow around it in the middle, then shaved it down till it somewhat resembled two snowman parts. Then they worked together to form the head rolling it perhaps a little too much before placing it on top to complete their snowman.

Jo took a step back to look at their final form. “He's kind of got a big head?”

“We’ll just shave a little off the side,” Alex said digging into the snow with his gloves and cutting it to half the size it previously was.

Jo laughed at the awkward snowman before grabbing more snow and packing it back until they finally had a decent snowman sized head. Then they hunted for a few rocks to put for buttons, two eyes, and a smile before remembering to grab two sticks for arms. They figured they could grab a carrot and an extra scarf later as they stepped back to take a look at their snowman.

Alex put his arms around her waist, planting a wet and messy kiss on her cheek as Jo scrunched up her face as his cold nose tickled her warm neck. She had snuck a snowball into her pocket and pulled it out. She smashed it into his face before she darted away, laughing as he just stood there. Alex wiped the snow off his eyes, still frozen in place as he realized what Jo had done.

“You're going to pay for that,” Alex said before he ran towards her. 

Jo just shrieked with laughter as she skipped away, eventually ducking behind the side of the house and making a quick snowball before he threw one at her. The snowball fight ensued only ended after Jo put a handful of snow down the front of Alex's pants after he dumped two handfuls down her jacket. They were both freezing and wet and as they retreated back inside.

They stripped off all their clothes in the mudroom and popped them in the dryer, leaving them naked and shivering. Jo’s knees and her teeth chattering together as Alex had one hand on his cold balls. He wrapped his other arm around her waist and hauled her down the hall, into the master bedroom. Jo's jaw just about dropped when she saw how outrageous the master bedroom was, the fancy bed was opposite of a sitting area with a large window overlooking the snowy forest. 

Jo didn't have time to take the room in anymore as Alex pulled her into the even more luxurious bathroom. Their toes were instantly warned on the heated tile flooring and Alex let go of her waist to turn on the shower. Jo looked around the obscene bathroom that was larger than their dining room space back home in the Loft.

She walked over to the huge jet tub that could probably fit four people and looked back at Alex as he stepped under the hot water. Despite how cold she was, the thought of relaxing in a nice warm bath tempted her more and then the heat of the shower. 

“Hey Alex,” Jo said looking back at him as he looked back at her with a questioning look as he realized she hadn't hopped in behind him. 

“What?” 

“Look it's got jets. I've got some bubble bath in my suitcase. We can use it and take a bath together.”

“Okay, but I'm staying in here until you fill it up.”

Jo smiled and turned on the water to fill up the bathtub, before scampering back into the bedroom and grabbing her bubble bath. She looked around the bathroom and managed to find a bath pillow and some extra fluffy towels for them. Once the tub was filled up Alex got out of the shower. Jo turned on the jets and they watched as the bubbles filled the tub another few inches before they stepped in. Alex got in first and Jo sat back against his chest as he wrapped his arms around her waist and she closed her eyes as the jets swirled around them. 

“This is nice right,” Alex said as he closed his eyes and leaned back into the warm stream of water.

“Yeah,” Jo said as she tucked her head against his chest and smiled up at him.

“This place is insane though,” Alex said, opening his eyes and looking around the massive bathroom.

“Right, it's huge and posh as fuck.” 

“I know right, it's got six bed and bathrooms, and two kitchens. There's the main one and then another one off to the side that's like a restaurant kitchen style.”

“What, that's insane.”

“I know right.”

“Okay, you have to give me a tour when we're done here.” 

“Okay but for now,” Alex said, grabbing the remote and pressing a button that opened the two doors in the cabinet to reveal a giant TV. Jo gasped and smiled, giving a slight chuckle before she leaned back against Alex. He flipped through channels before they settled on an old Christmas movie.

They watched the movie and stayed in the tub until the water made their fingers wrinkle and they hopped back in the shower to wash off the soap. Alex got out first wrapping himself in a large robe before he held one open for Jo and wrapped it around her shoulders. They both went back to the bedroom and crawled in bed with an intent to finish the movie. 

After the movie ended, they got dressed and Alex led her around the cabin, showing her the other bedrooms including a locked office and an open den before they wandered downstairs in search of food and a carrot for their Snowman.

Jo opened the fridge and paused. “Alex, did we bring any groceries with us?”

“No, why,” Alex asked as he rummaged around in the cabinets only finding dishes, a few spices, coffee, and cereals.

“There is no food in this place,” Jo said, opening the fridge doors wider to reveal mostly empty shelves save for a bottle of wine and a few condiments. There were no vegetables, no meat, and no milk.

“Dammit,” Alex said, putting down the box of cereal.

“We have to go shopping,” Jo said, closing the fridge with a sigh.

“Yeah and we have to put on pants,” Alex lamented adopting his grouchy face.

After putting on pants, and making the sunset drive into Leavenworth, even though it was only 4:30, they were walking the aisle of the grocery store. The thing Jo loved about Leavenworth was how everything was designed in an old German-style. Even the signs for chain stores and places like the McDonald's was in the same style. It was a nice change from the bright lights and modern styles of Seattle. Even if it was a tourist destination, Jo still loved it.

However, she did not like the number of people that were walking around without a mask as they perused the aisle. There were a few anti-maskers in Seattle, but for the most part the local grocery shops she went to enforced a strict mask policy. 

“Do you want this cereal?” Alex asked holding up a box for her to see and she nodded before and looked around the aisle.

Jo smiled under her mask as she saw a bag of dry ingredients for sugar cookies and the gingerbread hoses on a display at the end of the aisle. Neither she nor Alex baked, but that didn't stop her from quickly grabbing two packs for the sugar cookies and a box of decorations before grabbing one for a mini gingerbread house and placing everything in the cart. Alex laughed and she put them in, but didn't say anything as they continued shopping. 

They got what they needed for the week and headed back to the cabin. The drive home was quiet as they wove around the mountain roads. Jo looked out the window and watched the headlights light up the snow filled trees. Alex turned into the driveway and the headlights illuminated their Snowman. Jo smiled as she got out and grabbed a carrot from the bags putting it into place on the snowman’s head before turning around. Alex had gotten out the rest of the groceries but was standing there smiling at her. He looked absolutely smitten and she smiled back, knowing that her expression was the same. 

They made a quick dinner and curled up in bed to eat. Jo put on a Hallmark Christmas movie that was too cheesy to really enjoy, but funny enough to keep on. Alex curled up with her in his arms as they watched the movie. Jo remembered hearing his heartbeat under her ear and her head rising and falling with each of his breaths, she doesn't remember falling asleep just the feeling of absolutely content in his arms.

* * *

They spend the majority of the week watching every Christmas movie under the sun. Their only break was when Jo pulled him up off the couch and out into the snow. They brook out some of Avery’s old board games and Jo started playing Tomb Raider on the Xbox they brought which took up most of their time as they work together to beat the game. They stayed up late into the night and slept in each morning as Alex woke up with Jo in his arms, which was the best part of his vacation.

Wednesday morning Alex woke up to Jo’s lips on his face, grazing his cheeks as she moved across his face. Her hands tangled in his hair as gentle lingering lips pressed against his cheek, his chin, his nose, and his opposite cheek teasing his lips as she went. He opened his eyes only to be greeted with her brown hair and closed them again with a smile as her lips descended down his neck. He hummed as Jo’s lips found that sweet spot on his neck as she sucked a hickey into his skin. 

This was one of his favorite ways to be woken up by his wife. To have her lips on his skin. Jo giggled, her chest vibrating over him as he moaned. He felt her hands tangled in his hair before she moved them away and something else took their place. Alex opened his eyes as he felt her pull the Santa hat onto his head. Jo sat back, a smile on her lips, as she looked down at him. Alex’s smile turned to a frown as he pulled the hat off of his head.

“No,” Jo said as she grabbed the hat back and tried to avoid his hands as she put it back on his head. 

“Come on Jo, it's ridiculous,” Alex said, trying to take the hat from her hands and toss it somewhere she couldn’t reach.

“It's not ridiculous, it's hot,” Jo said, pulling back and holding the hat close to her chest and out of his reach. 

“You think Santa is hot?” Alex asked, raising one eyebrow and smirking.

“I think that you, in that hat is ridiculously hot. I remember when you dressed up as Santa for the kids on the Ped’s floor last year and I didn't get the chance to sit in Santa's lap.”

Alex smirked as he remembered Jo’s expression as she watched him get drees as Santa that year. She had jumped him before he could even make it out of the on-call room. Santa had a hickey that year, much to the dismay of Bailey, but the kids didn't notice and Alex hid it with the beard. 

“Just that watching you with all the kids has always been my favorite version of you,” Jo said, turning from lust to love as her eyes glowed a honey brown.

Alex reached up to twirl his fingers around a strand of her hair before putting a hand on her cheek as she leaned into him. Jo hummed as she smiled and leaned back down. Her lips were soft and they tasted like the vanilla chapstick that she loved. He sighed and enjoyed her lips on his as they kissed. Until Jo pulled that stupid hat on his head again. She pulled back with a giggle as he curled his lips into a scowl. 

“It really turns you on that much?” Alex said as her expression changed and she trailed her hands down to brush her fingers across his morning stubble.

Alex didn't need her verbal uh hu, to know the answer to his question. He took in the sight of her, dressed in only a red flannel pajama shirt that was only half buttoned up. Her pupils were blown and her lips slightly parted. She was the epitome of lust as she sat on his chest. Alex ran his hands up from her knees to her hips sinking his fingers into her soft flesh. Jo’s hair fell down around them and she tilted her head to lean in for a kiss.

* * *

Alex fell asleep afterward and by the time he got up again, it was late morning. He sunk into the warm covers and inhaled the lingering scent of Jo’s shampoo on her pillow, but that smell was overtaken by a darker smell of smoke. Alex's eyes flew open as he breathed it in again. He rushed up and out of bed to find the source. He heard one of the smoke alarms go off downstairs and Jo cursed as he descended down the stairs. Alex turned into the kitchen to see her shaking one hand while turning away from the toaster oven as smoke poured out the open door.

Alex glanced at her to see that she was mostly all right before he grabbed the tongs from the vase of utensils and pulled out two pieces of burnt toast. He quickly put the toast in the sink, running over water them which causes steam to rise, but put out the smoke. Alex turned around and caught Jo and putting her fingers under the cold water. He then turned off the toaster oven and grabbed a broom to hit the smoke alarm. As he puts the broom against the wall he looked over at Jo who still had on her fingers under the running water. 

“Are you okay?” Alex asked, going back over to her and wrapping one arm around her waist and pulling her closer. 

“I'm fine,” Jo said, pulling her index finger and thumb out from under the sink to examine them. They looked a little red but no more worse for wear. “I don't know what I was thinking. It’s so stupid. I just got wrapped up in the movie and forgot about the toast.”

“It's not stupid,” Alex said leaning in to kiss her forehead and grab a towel to wipe off her hands. He looked over to see Frozen playing on the living room TV and chuckled. “Besides, according to every kid ever, that movie is easy to get sucked into.”

Jo hid her smile and his shoulder. “I know it drives you crazy so I figured I'd watch you while you were sleeping.”

“It only drives me crazy, cuz I've seen it a billion times. Every kid on the Ped’s floor wants to watch that one.” Alex said as he looked over her hand again. 

He led her back over to the couch and she sat down as he ran off to grab the first aid kit. Of course, Avery would have the prescription burn cream and Alex plastered a little over her fingers before bandaging them and putting two new pieces of toast in the toaster. The movie was half of the way over so Alex figured he could tolerate it as he sat down beside her. 

“How is it that you didn’t burn down your car when you cooked with Bubbe,” Alex asked as she leaned against him, putting her head on his chest. 

“Well any time I cooked with Bubbe it was on the hood or on the tailgate so it was easy to focus on cooking while standing around and trying not to freeze,” Jo said with a laugh. “Clearly my cooking skills have gone down since them.” 

Things fell silent for a moment and Alex looked away from the movie to see her smiling as her head bobbed to the beat of the music. Jo started to whisper the lyrics under her breath before she caught him staring and stopped. 

“Shut up,” Jo chided him as she shoved his shoulder. 

Alex sighed and gave in singing the lyrics with her as they watched the rest of the movie. Alex only got up to get her toast and came back to sit next to her only for Jo to climb into his lap and snuggle up against his chest. The clouds came in and obscure the sun that had been streaming in through the windows. As the snow started to fall outside, turning the world outside into a frozen wonderland, not unlike the movie. However, the two of them stayed on the couch watching movies and admiring the weather, enjoying their lazy afternoon.

* * *

They barely moved from the couch and Alex thought that with Jo pressed up against him, her head on his shoulder, and two fluffy blankets over them, it was the most cozy he’d ever been and he didn't want to get up. He wanted to stay here with Jo until New Year's Day, maybe even after that.

“You know the baby Grinch is kind of cute,” Jo said tilting her head and snuggling further into Alex's arms while still keeping her eyes on the movie. 

“Yeah, it's like that newborn baby kinda cute, where their heads are still warped from the birth canal, but they’re still cute,” Alex said as he shoved a handful of the popcorn into his mouth.

“I wonder if they make baby Grinch dolls?” Jo asked, pulling out her phone to look it up.

Alex turned back to the movie and grabbed another handful of popcorn. Until Jo shoved her phone in his face with a picture of the baby Grinch on her screen, causing Alex to jump. Jo started laughing despite where he had accidentally elbowed her and grabbed her side. 

“That's just wrong,” Alex said, shaking his head as Jo closed her phone.

“It's so weird, just look at those little tiny fingers,” Jo said in between her giggles. “This pair of kid’s pajamas isn't too bad though. I think I'll get it for Amber's kid, she’d like that.” 

“We're good on Christmas presents, yeah? I mean I know we got something for everyone at the hospital, but we got my mom and Amber something yeah?” Alex said, racking his brain and trying to remember what they got everyone.

“You mean me? Because _I_ got your mom a bundle of nice yarn and this knitting subscription thing. _I_ got Amber a date night for her and her husband with prepaid babysitting and a bottle of wine and _you_ got the kids a Play-Doh bundle with some toys?” Jo said, giving him a look as she added it to her cart, before going back and pursuing the other Grinch related gifts.

“What would I do without you?” Alex sighed, kissing her head.

“Give your mom a gift card and forget Amber completely,” Jo said with a smirk as she turned around to look at him. 

He smiled knowing she was all right and leaned down to give her a proper kiss. Jo smiled against his lips before she turned back to the movie, both getting lost in it for a few minutes. Alex reached over to grab his hot chocolate not taking his eyes off the movie. He brought it to his lips and looked down when to realize there was no whip cream left in the mug.

“Jo, did you steal my whipped cream?” Alex asked, raising an eyebrow at her. 

“No,” Jo said, looking awfully guilty. 

Alex swiped the dash of white cream off on her nose as Jo continued to avoid him with her eyes. Alex licked the cream off of his finger noting it tasted very much like whipped cream. He trailed his fingers down her side as Jo squirmed to get away from him, but Alex wrapped one arm around her waist and held her down as he began tickling her. 

Jo shrieked as his fingers assaulted her sides and wiggled to get away from him. Her laughter filled the room in a melody of happiness. Alex smiled and continued to tickle her, finding that one spot on her hip that always made her howl. Jo retaliated with nimble fingers of her own attacking Alex's stomach, He tried to turn away from her although there wasn't much space as he was trapped between the couch and her body. 

Alex didn't mind though. He lived for the sound of Jo's laughter and to be the cause of her happiness. Everything he did, every choice he made was in regard to her, and her happiness. At this point in their relationship, it was just instinct to do so. This whole trip was for her, for the both of them, but his main consideration in planning it was Jo. He missed her smile, and her laugh, and he missed her. 

Alex relented as Jo snuck her hand under his shirt and tickled his ribs, pulling his hands away and ending it with a kiss. Jo melted into his lips with a smile and a sigh. Alex closed his eyes letting out a moan, before he heard Olaf's voice from the movie he opened his eyes. Jo laughed again as they got sucked back to the movie. Yeah, he could stay here forever, even if he did have to watch Frozen. He would do it for her.

* * *

For Alex, Christmas morning didn't have the same kind of excitement that it held for everybody else. Growing up, Christmas was inconsistent. There were a few years when he was a kid, before his mom got sick and his dad's drinking got really bad, where Christmas was happy and normal. Alex would race down the stairs and open his presents like every other kid, but the older he got the more Christmas to seem like one big disappointment. 

His mom may or may not have forgotten about it and his dad may or may not have knocked down the tree. His foster parents were more concerned with getting their bio kids presents while Alex got practical things, if anything at all. Worst of all, they always complained about having an extra mouth to feed that year.

As an adult, Alex spent Christmas working. At first, it was just to avoid the whole thing, but ever since he started working with Robbins. Now Alex did it to make sure that all the kids and their parents who spent the day on the Ped’s had a good Christmas. Jo had joined him, working Christmas day, and seeing her work so hard to make the day special for the kids was something Alex had fallen in love with her for. 

For the past seven years, they both still worked in the morning and then they would come home around dinner time. At night they would exchange gifts, before falling back into bed for some Christmas sex, and then they would head over to Meredith's to eat dinner with her and the kids and spend the evening with them. Somewhere along the way, it began to feel like a regular Christmas and Alex learned to love Christmas again. 

So when Alex woke up Christmas morning he smiled and rolled over to see Jo asleep on her side next to him. He put his arm around her waist, pulling her closer and burying his nose in her neck. With Jo still asleep beside him, he decided to chase a few more moments of sleep. He slept in for another hour before Jo rolled over and smiled at him as she stretched her arms in an adorable yawn.

“Merry Christmas Jo,” Alex said, putting his arms around her waist as she put her hand on his cheek and pulled her down for a kiss. 

“Merry Christmas Alex,” Jo whispered against his lips. He didn’t mind the fact that she had morning breath, so long as she didn't mind his morning stubble scraping her cheek.

Jo’s sigh of content turned into a moan of excitement. She rolled over to climb on top of him without letting their lips part. Jo usually pulled herself up to be on top and Alex didn’t mind. Not when there was a beautiful woman on top of him, who was so eager to share his cravings for her body.

Usually, things continued from there as they pulled each other’s clothes off and enjoyed lazy morning sex. It was slow and soft and Alex's favorite way to start the day, but this morning Jo pulled away and slipped off of him instead. She quickly darted off to the bathroom, before he could even process the fact that her warm body had left him.

“Where are you going? Alex called after her, lifting up onto one arm and watching her pause on her toes in the doorway. 

Jo looked back at him and giggled. Standing there in an oversized grey shirts and pajama shorts she looked insanely sexy as her brown curls bounced down her back. There wasn't anything that Alex could think of that could be any sexier than the woman in front of him. 

“I have a surprise for you. A first Christmas gift of sorts,” Jo said, sending him a wink.

Before she disappeared into the bathroom Jo gave him his toothbrush and electric razor instructing him to go clean up in the other bathroom. Alex just chuckled and tried to ignore the ache in his pants as Jo sent him one last wink before locking the bathroom door behind her. Most of the time they dressed up for each other, it was usually later in the evening so there wasn't a mid-morning shuffle to get ready in the bathroom. However today, Alex didn't mind going down the hall and opened the closet door to pull out a secret package of his own.

After the morning with the Santa hat, Alex had gotten an idea and had quickly ordered something online. It had gotten here just in time, late last night after Jo had fallen asleep while they were watching classic Christmas movies. As instructed, he brushed his teeth and trimmed his beard before pulling out the contents of his package. It was a pair of red boxer briefs, detailed with white snowflakes and two green bows on the front, complete with a matching Santa hat and red and white snowflakes tie. Alex looked them over with a frown. The night he ordered them it seemed like a good idea, but looking at himself in the mirror, Alex felt ridiculous. Nonetheless, he scurried back to the bedroom knowing that it would at least get a good laugh from Jo. 

He knocked on the bathroom door and Jo said she would only be a minute as he tried to find a place to wait for her. Alex sat on the bed, then on the chair, before he stood at the end of the bed and waited for her. It didn't take long for the bathroom door to open and Jo's leg appeared in the doorway. She stuck out her toe to reveal her sexy leg completely bare as she slowly stepped out into the doorway, her back facing him as she dressed in a red silk robe that hung off of her shoulders.

“Have you been a good boy this year, Dr. Karev?” Jo's silky smooth voice stopped him in his tracks as he stared at her enchanted by her bare skin. Her curls have been swept off to one side and swirled around her as she spun around. 

Jo froze as she stared at him. Her lips parted, her eyes growing wide before her expression quickly changed into a smile and she burst out laughing. She clutching her stomach as she bent over, her howls of laughter filling the room. 

“What do you think?” Alex said, striking a pose with his hands on his hips as he tilted his chin up.

“Oh my God. Where did you get that!” Jo said as she looked him up and down, her laughter tapered off into giggles as she put a hand over her mouth and stared at him.

“The internet,” Alex said with a shrug and a smirk as her eyes darkened. “What's wrong don't you like it?”

Jo just shook her head and smiled before she stepped forward and grabbed onto his tie, pulling him in for a kiss. Alex ran his hands over her arms, but Jo didn't let him pull at her robe and let go of the tie. She pulled away with a little giggle and looked down at the boxer briefs he was wearing. Alex had been hard since she first climbed on top of him and his erection strained against the red fabric. Jo bit her lip as she looked down at it before trailing her eyes up to meet his, shaking her head at his smirk. Her fingers trail down to the tie of her robe. Jo’s fingers were painfully slow as she undid the robe, to reveal a red lace teddy.

The teddy she was wearing had two straps over her shoulders to two triangles of the lace bralettes. There was a strip of lace going down from the bralette to connect to the triangle of the panties that were knitted together with a criss-crossing ribbon. There were two tiny little bows in between her breasts and over her pubic mound. Jo let the robe drop to the floor and turned around. The straps criss-crossed across her back before tying into a neat little bow at her waist where the lace came together over her ass. 

Now it was Jo’s turn to smirk at his lust filled expression. Sometimes Alex was just awestruck by her beauty and how hot she looked in red lingerie. It was hard to remember to do anything other than stare at her as his heart beat faster. 

“See something you like?” Jo asked, walking closer to him and his hands came up to grasp waist and trail over the lace. 

“Yes,” Alex said, taking his eyes off of her body from a moment to look up at her. “And I can't wait to unwrap you and get to the real present underneath.”

Jo laughed again and tilted her head to the side to lean in to kiss him. One hand ran down his chest and her fingers slipped under the top of the red briefs while the other held his cheek. 

“These have got to go,” Jo said, tossing the Santa hat away before pulling the briefs down his legs and dropping to her knees to help Alex step out of them. She stood up again and wrapped her hands around the tie. “But this can stay.”

Alex nodded, completely at her mercy as she pushed him over to the armchair to sit down before she kneeled in front of him. There was a smirk on her face and a sparkle in her eyes. Despite their position, of her on her knees before him, Alex knew exactly who was in control. Jo leaned down and put both of her hands on his hips. She trailed her fingers down his thighs as his cock stood up at attention and desperate for her touch. 

Jo trailed her fingers along his thighs with a delicate touch and he shivered when she finally touched his cock. Jo’s lips parted before she schooled her features and ran her fingertips up his shaft to the tip of his head. She teased the head of his cock, before moving her fingers down. Alex groaned and shifted in the chair. He loved it when she teased him, but he was so desperate for something more. 

Finally, Jo wrapped her hand around his cock in one smooth motion, going up and down. She barely gave him any time to react to the feeling of finally being in her hands, before she bent down and licked the head of his dick, before taking him into her mouth. 

Alex nearly lost it, jerking his hips as she took him down further into her warm and wet mouth. She took him all the way down, holding him there and before looking up at him with a wink. He buried his hands in her hair but held her head lightly as she pulled back to hold the tip in her lips as she rolled her tongue over him. Jo took him back down her throat and bobbed up and down. Alex could barely take it. The coil of his pleasure wound up like a spring and he knew that he would come undone if she kept up her dangerously pleasurable act. 

“Jo please,” Alex moaned, tipping his head back. 

“Please what?” Jo asked, pulling back and letting go of his cock, but not before blowing cold air on his sensitive skin.

“Please don't make me cum unless I'm inside of you,” Alex begged her, as he ran his fingers through her hair. 

Jo giggled, but stood up and moved forward to sit in his lap with both of her legs over his. Alex ran his hands up her waist to brush against the side of her breasts. Jo moaned, pushing her breasts towards him, arching her back, eager for his attention, as he ran his fingers over the coarse lace of the bralette. He moved over her nipples to the little bow in the middle and the skin between her breasts. 

He loved how soft her skin was. Alex could run his fingers over her body for hours. Jo's skin was beautiful and warm in color. Her breasts moved up and down with her breath as she watched him drink her in. Alex’s fingers swept over her breast and he held them in his hand and rubbed her nipples to a point and watched the peaks rise under the thin lace. 

“Do you like your present, Dr. Karev?”

“I do, thank you, Dr. Karev,” Alex said, looking up at her as he tilted her chin down to kiss her. 

“Are you going to unwrap me?” Jo asked, raising one eyebrow as she wrapped her arm around his neck like she always did.

“Is it itchy?” Alex guessed as Jo squirmed in his lap.

“Yes!” Jo said letting the sexy facade go as she scratched at the lace over her breasts. 

Alex chuckled as he reached around to her back to undo the bow, pulling the loose strings off her shoulders. He inhaled and quickly brushed the fabric off of her shoulders to reveal more of her skin to him. Jo wiggled as he pulled it down and stood up so he could take it off of her completely. Before she came back to sit in his lap she took a moment to stand naked before him. He reached out to grab her hand and pull her back in. 

Jo tilted her head for a kiss but, he pulled back and instead ran his fingers down her shoulders to cup her breast. They were barely contained by his hands as he leaned forward to wrap his lips around her nipple. If she could tease him with her mouth then he could return the favor. He licked around her stiff nipple before pulling back and blowing warm air that caused Jo to shiver in his lap. He did the same with her other nipple, squeezing her breast as he pulled it into his mouth and teasing his teeth over her skin. Jo practically withered in his lap. Her breath became high and needy as she pushed her body towards him.

Alex smiled and pulled back to look at her again. His eyes trailed down her body too where her sweet little belly button and he ran his fingers over the little bit of fat at her waist that he loved before his fingers dipped over her mound where she was clean shaven.

“You shaved,” Alex noted, running his fingers over the smooth skin, but not going any further down.

“I wanted to feel your fingers over my skin,” Jo said her voice low and surly, as he continued to tease her and she lifted up onto her knees to give him access to her folds.

The only thing that brought him away from his teasing was his aching cock begged to be inside of her. They both looked down as Jo rolled her hips against him as his cock rubbed against her belly. A few drops of precum escaped from his head and smeared over her stomach. Alex clenched up, causing his dick to spring up, eager for her. Jo lifted up onto her knees as he took his cock and positioned it, running it through her extremely wet folds as her fluids dripped down her thighs. 

They both moaned together as Alex moved to hold the head of his dick against her opening. Jo lowered herself down just enough for him to slip a few inches inside of her. She put her hands on his shoulder to steady herself as he put one hand on her waist. Jo sank down lower, taking him inch by inch until she settled in his lap. Jo was so wet and soft. He loved being inside her as she squeezed him, causing him to jerk his hips. 

They both knew that they couldn't keep teasing each other so Jo rose up on her knees and quickly came back down, setting a fast and eager pace. She alternated between bouncing in his lap and rolling her hips forward. Every time Jo came down before she went back up she would squeeze his cock. It was so hard for him to hold off and not come inside of her. Jo seemed eager to get there as quickly as possible and knowing that, he moved his hand to rub her clit. Jo faltered in her movements as he continued to rub her before continuing her pace again as his hands followed her.

Alex sat back and took a second to watch her. Jo’s eyes were closed as she moved and her lips parted as she panted. Sweat covered her body, making her skin glow brighter under the lights. She was so beautiful and he felt so lucky to even be able to kiss her, let alone the fact that he was married to her. Jo was the best thing that ever happened to him and he'd be damned if he ever even thought about leaving her. Alex was determined to show her that she was loved every second of the day. So he swirled his fingers a little harder around her clit, just the way she liked, and jerked his hips up to meet her as she gasped.

“Oh God, Alex,” Jo painted her eyes still closed as she moved on top of him.

“Are you getting close Princess?” Alex said using the nickname she hated. Jo’s eyes opened as she glared at him before she bit her lip and rolled her hips in a way that had him gasping for air with a grunt. “I'll take that as a yes.”

Jo kept going as she chased her high. Alex planted one hand on her hips and kept his pace on her clit as he thrust into her. He could see her breathless expression as she cleaned her vaginal walls around him, causing him to falter. She tightened up around him as she got close and he watched her waiting for the moment she came. Jo’s hips slowed into a gentle roll as she threw back her head as she came.

Jo screamed as her legs shook on top of him. She looked so beautiful as her skin flush red with her orgasm. Jo chased the feeling of her orgasm and Alex continued to rub her through as she came down. She let out a breath and put both hands on her shoulders and he paused for a moment letting her rest. 

“Alex,” Jo moaned out his name as her eyes fluttered open and she looked at him through heavy lashes, a slight smile across her lips. “You always make me feel so good.”

She recovered quickly, more quickly than he could, and smirked as she lifted up, he was still hard inside her and she quickly came down and up again bouncing in his lap. With an added roll of her hips, he knew he would soon be a goner. At that point, he knew that any second he would come. Alex closed his eyes and focused on the feeling of her around him and the words she whispered in his ear

“You're so good, so good inside of me, Alex. Can you come for me, baby? I promise I'll take it like a good little girl. Please Dr. Karev, just come inside of me.”

Alex came with a grunt. How could he not? His hips jerked wildly as he came, spilling over inside of her. Each spirit like geysers as he filled her up. His cock jerked inside of her warm walls. He breathed heavily as Jo rolled her hips and his cock gave one last spurt of cum inside of her. 

“Jo,” Alex cried out before his orgasm ended and he buried his face in her hair. 

They both grew soft and Jo laid her head on his shoulder as Alex wrapped his arms around her and leaned his cheek against her head. Alex smiled as he took it all in and caught sight of the lace lingerie throwing on the floor. It was definitely a keeper.

* * *

After their morning tryst, they were both starving and eager for their Christmas presents and quickly hopped in the shower before they went downstairs. Alex went to work mixing up the waffles and eggs while Jo made them coffee. The doorbell rang and she ran off to get it, saying that it was a last minute delivery. Jo pulled open the door to the cabin to see Link with the dog crate and the sweet little puppy inside. Jo quickly urged him inside and glanced back at Alex in the kitchen as they tucked the crate behind the tree putting a blanket over it. Lucky for them, the puppy was fast asleep and didn't make it sound as they both snuck back outside.

“Thank you so much!” Jo said as she pulled Link in for a hug. Link was the closest thing she had to a brother and he was always happy to help her out especially when it meant surprising Alex.

“Of course, he was no trouble at all and Scout really liked him. Which is good. I know you guys wanted him to be good around babies for the future,” Link said as he smiled and walked down the porch steps. 

“Yeah, hopefully someday soon.” Jo smiled as she put a hand on her belly and remembered their baby making activities that morning as she walked Link to the car. 

Amelia was asleep in the passenger seat, but Link opened the back door and Jo climbed in to see her godson as he squealed with happiness at the sight of his favorite auntie. Jo had worked hard to secure her spot as her nephew's favorite. Especially as she didn't see him as much because of the pandemic, but she and Alex had babysat a few times and she always works to make their time together special.

Jo played with Scout for a few minutes before she reluctantly got out of the car. “You three are staying at a hotel in town yeah?”

“Yeah, it's not too far from here actually. We decided to chase the snow. Scout got a taste of it Monday when it snowed in Seattle and was absolutely smitten.” 

“It snowed in Seattle!”

“Yeah, on Monday night, but it was mostly melted by morning. This place is pretty nice though. I’m surprised Alex was able to get this place on such short notice,” Lincoln said, giving her a wink that told her he was in on Alex’s surprise. 

Jo shook her head as he looked around the property. “Thank you for everything.”

Link just shrugged and ducked his head. “Well you both promised me and Amelia a weekend of babysitting so we will be collecting, but we were happy to help.”

“Merry Christmas Link,” Jo said, pulling him in for a hug.

“Merry Christmas Jo,” Link said, pulling back. “We’re ordering dinner from that pizza joint. Why don’t you and Alex join us later?”

“Yeah and we'd be happy to and you guys are welcome here anytime, we’re staying until the 27th and I'm sure Alex wouldn't mind,” Jo said smiling knowing that he loved the Shepherd-Lincoln family just as much as she did.

“I might take you up on that,” Lincoln said before he pulled her into another hug. “I guess we'll see you later then.”

“Yeah see you soon and call us when you get there,” Jo said, hugging him back before she pulled away.

“Will do,” Link said as he got into the car and Jo went back to the porch, watching them pull away, and waved before she went back inside. 

The coffee maker dinged just as Jo walked in the door and Alex called out to her. “Jo, breakfast is ready.” 

“Coming,” Jo said as she ran to check on the puppy before going back into their room and changing into a red and black checkered one-piece pajamas, grabbing an extra for Alex. He chuckled when he saw her and she turned around to wiggle her butt at him and show off the little butt flap that had the backside of two bears. 

“No,” Alex said, turning away from her adorable puppy dog eyes looking back at the waffle maker.

“Come on Alex, it's Christmas! Christmas includes matching pajamas, you do it for Meredith and the kids,” Jo pouted coming over to hang off his arm.

“Yeah, I do it for the kids, you and I are adults. We can wear adult pajamas that have pants and a shirt,” Alex said, taking the waffle off of the iron and pouring more batter in to make another one. 

“Fine, if you won't do it for me, then maybe you'll do it for our child?” Jo said, turning around and walking away towards the tree. 

It took Alex a second to process what she said and he quickly turned around. “What child? Jo, are we having a baby?” 

Jo didn't respond. She just walked over to the tree and leaned down behind it and into that crate to pull out the puppy. He was a brown short haired Lab puppy wearing a similar red and black checkered sweater she had instructed Link to put on him earlier. The dog stirred from his slumber when she picked him up and Jo cradled him against her chest as she pulled back and turned around to show Alex the puppy. 

“This child,” Jo said holding the puppy out to him and placing him in Alex’s arms. The puppy immediately started to climb up his shoulder and lick his face as Alex laughed. 

“Where did you get a puppy? How did you hide him from me?” Alex said in shock as the puppy continued to lick his face. Alex laughed as he held them and smiled as the puppy wiggled in his arms and slobbered all over him.

“He was delivered this morning, by Link and Amelia. They’re staying in Leavenworth for the weekend and brought him up with them while you were making brunch. I got him from one of the nurses. Her dogs had puppies a few weeks ago,” Jo explained as she smiled and reached out to scratch the dog's ears.

“This is amazing,” Alex said with a laugh as he looked over to see her eyes sparkle.

“We’ve always talked about getting a dog but we’ve never actually got one and I figured that now is as good a time as any with the vaccine coming out and before we have a kid. Although our hours will still be crazy for a couple more months, I already talked to Layla across the hall and she's agreed to puppy sit for us, so long as she’s still working from home.” 

Alex shook his head as he looked down at the puppy. He sat down and the puppy crawled out of his lap, going over to play with the rug and Jo pulled out a chew toy from his crate to distract him. Alex pulled her into his lap and they both watched the puppy play.

“You're frowning,” Jo said catching his lips turned down. “What's wrong don't you like him?”

“I do, it's just, it's a lot of responsibility,” Alex said with a shrug. “Especially with our schedules right now even with a puppy sitter.” 

“I know, but we're trying to have a baby, Alex,” Jo said, tilting her head and turning around in his lap to look at him. “If we're going to have a baby, we need to adjust our schedules for them. I thought that a puppy would help us get a better sense of what that would look like and it'd be good practice.”

“I know, and you're right,” Alex said, giving her a little smile. 

“But you're still frowning?” Jo said, her lips parting slightly.

“It's not because of that, it's just that I didn't get you anything that big, not like a puppy big,” Alex said tilting his head as he looked at her.

“Alex I don't care what you got me for Christmas. You got me this vacation,” Jo said, gesturing to the cabin around them and looking out to the snow that was falling in heavy flakes outside. “Spending time here with you is the best Christmas gift I could have ever gotten.”

Jo leaned in to kiss him and Alex relaxed against her lips. He wrapped his arms around her waist and she let herself forget for a moment where they were. Jo knew she was right. It wasn't about the things they got for each other. A lifetime of Christmas had taught her that so long as they were together, they would be happy because that was what really mattered.

Alec pulled away from her when the puppy stopped growling and Jo’s eyes widened as she knew that something was up. They both looked over to see the puppy peeing on the carpet.

“Oh puppy,” Jo said, scrambling to get up and scooping up the puppy to take him outside as Alex followed close behind and opened the door as they deposited the puppy on the deck, where he finished peeing.

“Are you sure we're ready for this?” Alex said, raising an eyebrow at her.

Jo shook her head but smiled and put her hands on her hips with a determined look. “It's good practice, besides Scout loves him already so we can’t give him back.”

“Okay,” Alex said, looking back at the puppy as he came back in and went over to the tree where the rest of the gifts laid untouched. Jo watched as Alex followed the puppy’s every movement and she knew he had fallen in love with them too.

“He needs a name,” Jo said as they closed the door and she went over to the kitchen to search for cleaning supplies.

“Hellraiser,” Alex suggested as he grabbed the paper towels and went over to the carpet.

“What about evil spawn?” Jo suggested as she came over and they cleaned up the spot together.

Alex laughed and looked over at the puppy. With his big floppy ears and a large brown mass, he fumbled around as he played with one of the ribbons on Jo’s presents.

“Reeses,” Alex decided.

“You're going to name him after a peanut butter cup?” Jo laughed as she sat back on her heels.

“Yeah,” Alex said, looking over at the dog. “The name just seems to fit.”

“Okay,” Jo said as she looked over to see him smile. “Now come on, let's go open our gifts before, Reeses does it for us.”

Alex took her hand and they put away the cleaning supplies and washed their hands before they went over to the tree. There was a pile of gifts for each of them and they quickly dug in, divvying the gifts up before they tore off the wrapping paper, with Reese's help of course. 

Jo was ecstatic with all the things that he had gotten her. Most of them were practical like fuzzy socks and a medical pocket organizer, but she also appreciated the love vouchers and the new black clogs that he got her.

“Alex this is perfect,” Jo said as she pulled out the spiral ring holder necklace.

“Yeah well, you're always complaining about how they scratch your skin when you pin them to your scrub top, so I thought it'd be perfect,” Alex said with that goofy smile that she loved across his lips as she leaned over to kiss him.

“What about your stuff? Do you like it?” Jo asked, looking at the gifts she had gotten him. 

“Of course I love it, but I might have to be careful with this one,” Alex said, holding up the lunch bag that looked like an organ donor bag. 

Jo laughed, it was a gag gift, but she knew he loved it nonetheless. She had also gotten him a new drill set, because some of his old set was lost, along with a rechargeable pocket flashlight, a new Iowa Hawkeyes lanyard, and a Baby Yoda tie, but the last one was mostly for the Ped’s kids. 

“Open the bag,” Jo said, putting down her gift as she watched him.

Alex unzipped the lunch bag and pulled out a smaller box that she had left unwrapped. He pulled off the lid and his lips parted as he read the metal note aloud, despite how she already knew what it said. 

“ _Dear Alex,_

_Here is something a little more permanent than the little sticky notes I put in your lunch. Because I know how much they mean to you. The past year that we have been married, legally or not, have been the best of my life. I have never been so happy to say that I have a husband. You are the best thing that has ever happened to me. You love me as I am and I love you more than anything in this world._

_You are my home and you are my heart._

_Love,_

_Your wife, Jo._ ”

Alex held the metal note and stared at it. Jo bit her lip and wondered what he thought of it until he looked up at her. There were tears in his eyes and he nodded and he looked back down at it.

“Thank you,” Alex whispered. 

Jo nodded and leaned forward to kiss him. He put his hands on her waist and held her against his lips. Jo sighed as his lips moved to her cheeks and fluttered over her skin. They kissed for a moment until Jo pulled back and sat next to him as he wrapped an arm around her waist.

They went back to opening gifts, but Alex placed the note on the bag and she watched as he opened his next gift. It was a beard balm & serum bundle and he chuckled rubbing his hand over his facial hair. This week he had opted for a short beard on his chin and with his usual mustache and goatee. Meredith would always poke fun at him saying he looked like a hippy, but Jo loved it. 

“Are you saying my beard is too scratchy for you?” Alex asked as he raised his eyebrows at her. 

“No,” Jo said, shaking her head, as he continued to look at her. “Okay yes, it scratches my cheeks and cut my things last week.”

Alex chuckled again and leaned over to rub his cheek against her face. Jo pulled back with a laugh and put her hand against his chest to push him away, but not before he leaned in and stole a kiss from her lips that had Jo pulling him back in. Jo put her arm around his neck as she kissed him more, but Alex pulled away and reached under the tree to grab another box. 

“Here’s the last one,” he said, placing it in her lap.

Jo looked over to see him rubbing his thighs. A telltale sign that he was nervous as he stared at the box in her lap. Jo wondered what it could be. It was long and light and she ripped open the packaging to see a jewelry box. She looked over at him before she lifted up the lid to reveal a necklace. In the middle was a series of circle beads and longer beads of dots and lines. 

“It's morse code of our Halloween Wedding date,” Jo said, running her fingers over the beads before looking up at him. “It's beautiful.” 

Jo took it out of the box and handed it to him as she pulled her hair off her shoulders. Alex clasped the necklace around her neck and she felt the beads against her skin before she turned around. 

“Thank you, but why is it the date of our Halloween Wedding and not our other Wedding date? That's the date we usually refer to?” 

Alex took a deep breath as a small smile appeared on his lips. “Because that's the day that we got legally married. It means a lot to me that we're legally married, especially after everything we went through. I know how squirrelly you can get when you think that someone's not going to be there for you, but I promise you, Jo, that I'm always going to be there for you and I plan on being your husband forever.”

Jo covered her mouth as tears collected in her eyes, but she smiled and crawled over to sit in her husband's lap. “I love you Alex Karev, more than I've ever loved anyone and I want to be your wife forever too.”

Alex put his arms around her and pulled her in as Jo wrapped her arms around his neck and put one hand on his cheek as they kissed, feeling his rough beard against her cheek and her hand. Kissing Alex wasn’t like kissing anybody else. He knew her lips better than anyone, he knew her body and he knew exactly what she needed. 

Alex fell back against the ground pulling Jo on top of him and running his hands down her back. Unfortunately, they couldn't take it any further as Reese came over and started playfully tugging on Jo's hair. They broke apart with a laugh as Jo held her hair and Alex picked up the puppy who started to gnaw on his fingers. Watching Alex laugh as he teased the puppy and played with him, Jo knew that this was her family. Alex was her home and there wasn't a doubt in her mind that he was her permanent home.


End file.
